CasaSugar

Casa Verde: Wooden Furniture That's Green and Budget-Friendly

CasaSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 07:00:22 -0700

Slate magazine recently answered a reader's question about affordable, earth-friendly furniture. Are the two concepts compatible? And what are the best options? You can read the whole article here, but I've handily summed up the advice from writer Nina Shen Rastogi. The first (and perhaps most obvious) piece of advice is to buy the highest quality, solid wood furniture you can afford. This way, your furniture will last for decades (at least).
Ready for the rest of the advice? Then read more.

Furniture made from medium-density fiberboard is an affordable option that is made from leftover sawdust and lumber scraps. It takes more energy to produce MDF than it does to process lumber. However, as the article notes, "[f]igures from New Zealand suggest that, on a pound-for-pound basis, the production of composite-wood products is more energy-efficient [PDF] than making plastics and most metals."
Plywood, another type of composite panel, uses about the same energy to produce as MDF.
Buyer beware, though: MDF, particleboard, and plywood all contain adhesives that may release formaldehyde, a known human carcinogen, according to the International Agency For Research on Cancer.
The cheaper the furniture, the more likely it is to release formaldehyde, since it's more expensive to use more high-quality, less toxic glues, and to cure the furniture over time to ensure that the furniture isn't releasing formaldehyde.
To avoid this danger, look for furniture with low- or no-formaldehyde adhesives.
If your new MDF or particleboard furniture contains recycled content or alternative fibers, it is less likely to offgas.
If your particleboard or MDF furniture smells funky, leave it outside for a few days so it can offgas outside of your living space.
When buying solid wood furniture, ask about how the wood is sourced. Look for certification from the Forest Stewardship Council. Always ask retailers about how the wood is sourced, and let them know that this is important to you as a consumer.
The best option for both your budget and the planet is to buy secondhand solid wood furniture. Check flea markets, Craigslist, and tag sales for quality items.

Designer Spotlight: Alma Allen

CasaSugar — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:00:53 -0700

Self-taught sculptor and designer Alma Allen takes cues from the natural world when designing his found wood, stone, and bone objects. While Allen's work is visually stunning, it's also infinitely touchable. Each piece of furniture or sculptural object is painstakingly sanded and polished until it's perfectly smooth.

Besides his amazing furniture and sculptural work, Alma is also a talented builder, who designed and built his green home, which I featured in a Coveted Crib slideshow. To find out more about this designer and his work, just read more.

Allen lives in Joshua Tree with his girlfriend Nancy and their dogs Fritz and Clara. His work has been included in publications like Dwell and the New York Times, and featured in galleries in New York City and Japan, among other places. Almost all of his furniture is crafted from salvaged wood, with claro walnut and ironwood two of his favored woods to work with. Definitely check out the gallery for more of his work, and if you're interested in finding out more about Alma's sculpture or furniture, contact him via his website.

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How To: Renew Your Wood Furniture

CasaSugar — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 11:00:53 -0800

As part of January's theme, Renewal, I'm bringing you How To posts that relate to renewing furniture you already own.

Wood furniture is a common feature in most every home, but without proper care, your wood surfaces can start to look drab and lifeless. Start to renew your furniture by polishing wood surfaces every week. This goes a long way toward protecting the finish from damage and ensuring that your wood tables, chairs, and dressers look their best. Avoid any polish that contains silicone or alcohol, as these can do permanent damage to a wood surface, as can any household cleaner that contains ammonia. I love the almondy scent of Method's Wood For Good polish. You can also make an excellent polish at home by combining lemon oil with 3 parts olive oil.

Besides polishing your wood, you should also take care to clean it regularly. Any table that regularly has cups or food on it should be cleaned with a mild soap, such as a diluted mixture of hand soap and water. If you are committed to keeping an antique piece of wood furniture looking beautiful, consider having it buffed and polished by a professional once a year.

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How-To: Remove Cigarette Odor From Wood Furniture

CasaSugar — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 06:45:25 -0800

TeamSugar member linb recently wrote, "I acquired two wooden end tables from a friend who smokes, and unfortunately the stench came home with the tables. I'm hoping someone knows of a miracle product or trick that I can use to get rid of the smell."

I figured there may be more of you who need to remove cigarette odor for your wood furniture (inherited or not), so I've compiled a list of suggestions to make your wood furniture smell so fresh and so clean. To hear them, read more.

Wash with solution of white vinegar and hot water, and then air dry. Vinegar is a natural odor neutralizer, so it should get rid of the smell rather than simply covering the up. If you remember, it also played a part in my two latest How-Tos.
Fill the drawers or shelves with ground coffee, baking soda, or cat litter, and leave it for several days. Then place the furniture outside to air dry. Avoid direct sunlight, it may cause it to warp.
Mix 1/4 cup of Witch Hazel and a couple of squirts of dish soap. Take a very soft piece of steel wool and gently scrub the wood. Then, dip a rag in warm water and wipe up.
Wash with a mix of Murphy's oil soap and hot water.
Since smoking actually leaves a residue on all surfaces in your home, another suggestion, although more expensive, is to have it refinished by a professional.

If you have any other suggestions or experiences with removing cigarette odor from furniture, please leave a comment below.
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Designer Spotlight: Robert Austin Gonzalez

CasaSugar — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 08:03:45 -0800

This weekend I stopped by the impressively well-curated FIVEten Studio as part of my monthly traipse through Oakland's Art Murmur open studios night. FIVEten was filled with gorgeous art and design work by the likes of Nolan Niu and Ross Lovegrove, but my favorite pieces were the turned wood furniture crafted by designer Robert Austin Gonzalez.

As you may already know, I'm a big fan of turned wood. I used to love watching my grandfather create turned wood furniture on his lathe when I was little. Robert Austin Gonzalez's turned wood finds have a distinctly contemporary feel, and the chameleon-like combination of clear glass tabletops and reclaimed wood in his tables would make them perfect for a variety of interiors.

To see a gallery of work and to find out more about Robert, just read more.

These turned wood (and turned lacquer) creations are part of Robert's series "Grace." Robert also designs, builds, and constructs furniture and interiors for both professional design clients and homeowners alike. When he's not working or spending time in Brooklyn Heights with his family , he can be found, depending on the season, pursuing his passions of surfing and skiing.

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Roundup: Wild For Walnut

CasaSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 06:15:42 -0700

If you're a furnishing with the word "walnut" in your product description, the chances I'm saving my pennies for you are high. I'm wild for walnut! The fine wood is as durable as it is beautiful, and it only looks better with age. Beyond that, its cool modern style makes a perfect complement to any room. My next big furniture splurge is likely to be walnut. But, seeing as there's so much of it out there to drool over, there are plenty of decisions to make before I go spending. See a few walnut pieces I'm eyeing when you read more.

De La Espada sled lounge chair - $1,565.00	Atlantico 020 Chest in Walnut - $4,835.00
Shesham Wood 5-Tier Pillar Candle Holder - $49.99	Driade - costes & king costes by philippe starck - $1,086.00
De La Espada 010 atlantico coffee table - $1,315.00	MADE nest side table - $2,350.00
Blu Dot Minimalista Side Table - $299.00	Blu Dot Wonder Wall Two Drawer Cabinet - $699.00
Beverly Floor Mirror - $999.00	Urbana Design teardrop vases - $60.00
Mercer Sideboard - $3,950.00	Cherner Chair Armchair Walnut / Ebony - $999.00
Vitra George Nelson Walnut Diamond Desk Clock - $395.00	Eames® Walnut Stool 413 by Herman Miller - $829.00
Walnut Wastecan - $39.95	Tambe Walnut Side Table - $399.00
Walnut Table Kubus 71" - $2,100.00	J.K. Adams Stainless and Walnut Wood Serving Tray - $137.99
Goetz Sofa in Walnut in Black Leather by Herman Miller - $3,099.00	Walnut Bark & Antiqued Bamboo Chargers - $78.00
Cherner Chair Stool in Walnut With Chrome Base - $639.00	Portica 72X36 Extension Table with Cherry Veneer Top - $1,699.00

In the News: A Worker of Ancient Woods

CasaSugar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:00:17 -0700

Brazilian woodworker Hugo França crafts the type of furniture that makes me crave a bigger house - one that would be big enough to fit his stunning pieces. França's monolithic furniture is inspired from the natural curves of the trees themselves, and often the shape of a trunk or branch will guide França in his use of the particular piece of wood. França, who spent 15 years in self-imposed isolation in northeastern Brazil, has spent the past twenty-odd years learning woodworking and sculpting trees into curvaceous, singular works of livable art. All of his furniture is made out of trees that have naturally fallen or burned in the rain forest. This wood, called pequi, is an important staple and symbol for the indigenous residents of Brazil's Cerrado region. The New York Times has the whole story in Julia Chaplin's article An Old Friend of Ancient Woods.

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Before and After: Reclaimed Lumber Bench

CasaSugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 08:30:07 -0700

Oakland-based design-building studio Because We Can was hired by SunPower to create furniture for their new office in an old Ford manufacturing building in Richmond, CA. This enormous, potential-filled pile of lumber had been taken out of the building and slated to be dumped, but the studio stepped in, deciding the wood could be reclaimed to build something new. After mulling it over, they "decided that benches were the most feasible idea to use the lumber and keep costs down." They created two designs, one simple with legs and a seat, and another that doubled as a bookcase, with a bottom shelf fit for storing books. They designed 20-foot-long benches to use the wood most efficiently, basically as it was in its found state — but prettier and less splintery. When the wood was milled down, they discovered "a beautiful Douglas Fir glue lam, not far beneath the weathered exterior." The benches are so large that they had to be fork-lifted through a small opening on the second floor of the building. Now installed in the new HQ, they look gorgeous and fit for the vast size of the old factory building. To see the splintery wood planks in their fabulous new form, read more.

Are they eco chic or what?
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Designer Spotlight: Palo Samko

CasaSugar — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 15:48:49 -0700

Brooklyn designer Palo Samko is profoundly gifted at marrying modern design with a rustic sensibility. His environmentally friendly products, which are made of recycled materials, are simply stunning, and absolutely crave worthy. Palo, a gifted woodworker, has started the eco-friendly Walnut Line of furniture, which is composed of chairs, cabinets, and tables made of walnut wood. He also has his Recycled Line, which is made from scraps found on construction sites, including plywood, old construction beams, and railway beams. Whatever wood he chooses, he remakes it into furniture that is simultaneously urbane and inner-city urban.

To see a gallery of his work, just read more

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Coveted Crib: Slaughterhouse Fine

CasaSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:00:35 -0800

A former slaughterhouse in Ulricehamn, Sweden, was transformed into this fabulous coveted crib. Outfitted with furniture and accessories from around the world, the space feels much more metropolitan than you'd expect from a rural Swedish home. An extensive collection of artwork is mixed with both vintage and modern furniture. Antique Corinthian columns mingle with an Arne Jacobsen Swan chair, worn wood surfaces with plush velvet, and IKEA with Philippe Starck, creating endless serendipitous juxtapositions. Take the full tour when you read more.

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